challengejan12 - Clutch Crossfit

NEW YEAR NEW YOU CHALLENGE!!
Are you up for the challenge? Your Clutch staff has been blessed over the past year in helping you
meet your health and fitness goals. Your success is ours, and we will stop at nothing to see you make
your dreams a reality.
The New Year, New You Challenge is designed to bring the weight loss goal back, front and center. It's
designed for anyone who needs a little inspiration to go with their perspiration-- because we already
know you got the sweat part down. Unfortunately for most of us, weight loss is 80% diet and 20%
exercise. Let's give our bodies the 100% they deserve. Remember Summer bodies are built in Winter
weather!
It's easy to chase dead lift PRs and back squat numbers and tell ourselves that we are building muscle
and that's why the scale has not moved. I consult with people each week who love CrossFit, but are
not seeing the results they desperately want to see in their body composition. My fear has always been
that if you don't reach your goals in a reasonable time frame, you will give up on our sport. I'm not
letting that happen on my watch.
The strength and performance goals we have at Clutch remain priority, but with the holidays coming to
an end, Iet's do something BIG. I propose that we ban together, much like we did last Sept, and decide
that this is the year we won't unbutton our pants at parties. And next year will be the beginning of a
New Year and a New You.
45 days + 50 people = 500 pounds
I propose that for 45 days at least 50 people ban together and lose 500 pounds by eating less and
moving more. Whether you have five, ten, twenty, fifty pounds to lose, the challenge is for you, so get
in on it. It will cost you $20, so you almost have nothing to lose but the obvious. If you have no weight
to lose, and just want to hold steady while supporting your team mates, the challenge is for you. (If you
are under weight and working hard to add muscle mass, we love you dearly, and will thank you for
supporting the rest of us as we battle through the 45-day challenge.)
Grand Prize
Now for the best part. Wait for it… wait for it… The winner of this challenge will receive one 6-month
membership at Clutch!! Read that again. Do the math. Feel the savings in your bank account, or better
yet on your ass in the form of a pair of SMALLER pants. Now that I REALLY have your attention, here's
how this is going to work.
The winning athlete will have the highest number of points at the end of the challenge. Every
percentage point of body weight lost will be one point. Every inch lost from the arms, thighs and waist
will be one point, and every WOD done during the 45-day challenge will count for one point.
For instance, if athlete A weighs in at the beginning of the challenge at 230, and loses 40 pounds, 10
inches and WODs 48 times, his score will be 75.39 (40/230 = .1739 = 17.39% + 10 + 48 = 75.39). If
athlete B weighs in at the beginning of the challenge at 150 and loses 15 pounds, 7 inches and WODs
60 times, her score will be 77 (15/150 = .10 = 10.00% + 7 + 60 = 77).
I use the examples above to demonstrate an important point of this challenge: even those with fewer
pounds to lose stand a chance to win this thing. Let's get to WORK.
Daily points will be accumulated using our weekly spreadsheet. You will need to turn one of these in
each week to get all of your bonus points. You can also increase your score by taking care of your
body and earning points with sleep, vitamins, fishoil, mobility/yoga sessions etc!
Each day you can accumulate up to 8 points, with additional bonus points offered, including weekly
“mystery” bonuses. The scorecard provided outlines many of the point offerings, and in Excel format,
so you don’t even have to do math! (Yes, it’s ok to kill a tree and print it, too)
Spreadsheets will be due each Wednesday throughout the challenge. They may be emailed in or
printed and submitted.
RULES
The New Year New You Challenge will begin on Jan 12 but we’ll take late signups as late as Jan 14th .
A staff member will be at the box to weigh and measure & photograph all the participants from 8a-10 47pm. You can stop by anytime in that timeframe, and I will take care of you. If that day does not work,
you can make an appointment to register. If you are coming on the 12th-13, no need to email. I will be
there. All weights, photos and measurements will remain extremely confidential.
The challenge will end on Feb 27. We will be at the box to reweigh and measure from 10-7pm. If that
day does not work for you, you can make an appointment to reweigh on Feb 26. No weigh ins or
measurements will be taken AFTER Feb 27. Results will be entered into an excel spreadsheet, so rest
assured, I will not be doing the math. All winners will be announced in a blog on March 2nd.
The top 3 finishers will be recognized in the wrap up. The Grand Prize winner will receive 6 months
FREE membership to CLUTCH. The second and third place will also get hooked up with some prizes!
We are here for you during this challenge to answer any questions or concerns you may have. We do
expect you to journal your food and stay accountable to yourself over the 45 days. We will not be
weighing in along the way, but are happy to review your journal with you should you not see results.
Don't come to us and tell us you are not losing weight without a food journal. We will be unable to help
you.
Eating Guidelines:
» Earn 1 point for each completely clean meal, up to 3 per day.
» Earn 1 points for your keeping all of your snacks healthy throughout the day. This is where most people blow it. So
think ahead and try to work to keep snacking to 2 snacks or less per day. Your body won’t get better at burning fat if
you’re grazing all day (see below).
» The appendix explains what not to eat and why.
» Earn 1 point per day for maintaining a log of the food & drinks you consume throughout the day.
Drinking:
» Add 1 point per day for consuming enough water. The recommended amount is
½ ounce per pound in body weight. An example: 200 lbs. would need 100 ounces.
» Subtract 1 point for each day for soda or other drinks that taste sweet (whether
they have sugar, sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners). Unsweetened coffee and
tea are fine. Note - while you will only lose one point per day, please don’t drink a
bunch of diet cokes or lemonade, there is no better way to sabotage your success!
Kombucha is the only “sweet” drink allowed without penalty
Exercise and Recovery:
» Earn 1 point for each day with a CrossFit WOD - max of 5 points/week.
» Earn 1 point for 15 minutes of Mobility/Stretching
(beyond what we offer in class).
Sleep
» Earn a point for each day with more than 7 hours of
sleep - naps count toward totals in a 24hr period!
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?
The New Year, New You 2015 is about improving your health and fitness. This may mean your weight goes down - but it
may also mean your weight goes up. There is nothing healthier than gaining lean muscle mass and looking better in your
clothes (not to mention naked)! So ignore the scale for 45 days. Want proof? Check out the before/after picture to the
right. Hard not to love this nine pound gain!
Pick two to three goals that are measurable. Here are some examples:
Improve Fitness:
» Before/After WOD: How does your score improve in a month?
Build Muscle Tone:
» Before/After Photos (we’ll take these, at your option)
»Feel the difference in your arms, legs, tummy, and shoulders.
Lower Body Fat
» Before/After Body Measurements
» Before/After fit of your clothing (your own observation)
Emotional Benefits: (mood, clarity, patience, etc.)
» Self-assessment - we recommend journaling
» Ask others to observe and provide feedback
Reduce Inflammation: (better digestion, clearer skin, lessened allergies and asthma, etc).
» Self-assessment - fewer stomach aches/less bloating/less gas, less acne, clearer
sinuses, more “glow” to your skin, increased energy and drive, better sleep, etc.
HOW DO I EAT CLEAN?
For the next 6 weeks, we’d like you to eat only non-inflammatory whole foods, and balance out your protein/fat/carb
intake. Also, you’ll need to drink enough water. It helps with hydration, appetite control and fat loss. In an ideal world,
you will banish all processed and packaged foods from your diet and eat: leafy veggies, meat, fish, nuts and fruit. Quality
does matter, so buy organic, pasture-raised items when possible (see below for budget tips). At the end of the day – life
happens. We realize you will need to make some compromises, so consider this an ideal and do your best.
We have a lot of resources in and around Clutch. Get creative and put some real effort into this (into YOU!). If you’re
eating out, go for the vegetable of the day to complement your protein, and make sure it’s steamed, not fried.
Amat Victoria Curam = Victory Loves Preparation!
Pack your lunch, prepare a bunch of meals
on Sunday, or pick a healthy menu option online BEFORE you show up at the restaurant.
- You Can Still Enjoy the Right Sweet Treats in moderation.
Many grocery stores now offer paleo-friendly snacks. Just keep these to a minimum…just
because they are paleo, doesn’t mean you should eat 12 of them. Use common sense
here and if you go to town and eat multiple servings of paleo chocolate cake, you should
not get your snack points!!
COME UP WITH A MEAL PLAN
Eating clean invariably means that you or someone you live with will be cooking a reasonable amount. You don’t have to
get fancy, but you will want to plan ahead for success. Buy high quality stuff (organic and grass-fed, if at all possible - see
“On a Budget” below). Use recipes to make shopping lists and shop ahead for 3 days at a minimum. You’ll save a ton of
time and achieve better results by buying and cooking about 3x what you need for each dinner - this way you’ll have
leftovers for lunch and can eat or freeze another dinner.
This is important, and almost everyone underestimates the value of over-preparing food. It typically takes only about
20% longer to cook 3x as much food. And if you get stuck with too much food - bring it into the gym for a friend!
We are not asking you to measure and weigh your foods, as we believe it’s more important to enjoy healthy, great
food than to overanalyze things. It is important, though to get the blend of protein, fats, and carbs about right. The
easiest way to do this is to eat a lot of leafy greens (cooked or salad) with some meat or fish.
A good rule of thumb is 30% lean protein, 40% carbs primarily from vegetables and some fruits, and 30% fat.
Hate cooking?
SAMPLE MEAL IDEAS
Visit our Facebook page and the Additional Resources section below for these and other recipe ideas and inspiration.
Breakfast Options
» Poached or fried eggs on arugula salad with avocado slices and vinaigrette.
» Veggie omelet.
» Bacon
» Sweet potato or pumpkin pancakes with butter and fruit.
» Almond flour crepes with fruit.
» No grain oatmeal.
» Leftovers.
Lunch Options
» Salad with chicken, turkey or tuna (mixed greens and arugula are best for raw nutritional value). If at a
restaurant, make sure to request removal of ingredients that don’t fit.
» Roasted veggies with grilled meats.
» Lettuce wrapped burger with sweet potato fries.
» Leftovers.
Dinner Options
» Grilled wild Alaskan salmon with roasted veggies.
» Grass-fed hamburger with a sweet potato.
» Grilled grass-fed rib-eye steak with cauliflower.
» Veggie curry.
» Lamb and apricot stew with almonds.
» Meat sauce with roasted spaghetti squash.
Snack Options
» Nuts - raw are better than roasted. Don’t worry about calories or fat. Stay away from peanuts. A small handful
is plenty.
» Low-glycemic fruit (berries, cherries, apples - frozen is fine).
» Guacamole with veggies (carrots and bell peppers work great).
» Almond butter (Justin’s Maple is amazing) on apple, carrot, celery or raw cauliflower.
» Whey protein shake with water, almond milk or coconut milk.
» Veggie smoothie (no fruit juice, no more than 1 portion of fruit per serving, rest should be leafy green
vegetables like kale and spinach, lightly steamed and whatever other veggies you have on hand).
On a BUDGET?
Start by focusing your financial resources at the top of the food chain - meat,
seafood and eggs. Unfortunately, 99% of farm animals in the US are raised in factory
farms. Industrial farming practices leave animals very unhealthy…and eating the
meat and eggs of sick animals will make you sick!
Remember that you truly are what you eat (or what you eat eats). Animals are
meant to have access to the outdoors. Cows are meant to eat grasses, not corn;
chickens are supposed to eat seeds and bugs and dig around in the dirt. Its hunting
season so hit up your local butcher (PETES FINE MEATS) and see if anyone forgot to
pick up their deer. You can often score wild game on the cheap!
We make our own choices, and then our choices make us.
…Finally, focus on quality
Fats
These include organic coconut oil for cooking and
first cold pressed olive oil for salad dressings.
For the last 20 years we’ve been told to eat a low fat
diet…however in the past few years, research has
confirmed that quality fats are an important building
block for vital organs, cells and hormones. The low
fat years are over… hallelujah! However, there are
good fats and bad fats, so read on…here’s the skinny
on good fats:
Monounsaturated fatty acids: These fats
improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels and may
help with blood sugar regulation and inflammation
» Avocados
» Olive oil
» Hazelnuts
» Olives
» Macadamia nuts
Saturated Fatty Acids
» Coconut oil/milk/flakes/butter - Refined coconut oil is the best oil for cooking and has no coconut taste.
Unrefined has a mild coconut taste and is better for melting or at lower heat. There are entire books written
on the benefits of this - great energy source and may help prevent atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease,
in part by reducing cholesterol levels.
» Pasture-raised butter
» Lard from pasture raised pork.
Omega 3s: EPA and DHA have been shown to reduce inflammation, and may help lower the risk of chronic
health conditions such as heart disease, cancer and arthritis.
» These are found in green leaves and algae (the food our food is supposed to eat).
» When grass-fed cows, pasture-raised chickens and wild salmon get healthy omega-3s in their diets,
we get healthy EPA and DHA Omega 3s when we eat their meat and eggs.
(Tip: We carry the cleanest most pure fish oil available- Pure pharma!)
What foods to avoid and WHY?
Packaged and processed foods; foods with added sugar and artificial sweeteners; fried
food..
» Most shelf-stable packaged goods have very little nutritional value. They
have been engineered to stimulate your ancestral food cravings and to
maximize shelf life and transportation efficiency at the lowest possible cost…without any regard for
nutritional value.
Most of the label claims are completely unregulated. And they have tons of extra salt, sugar, and really
bad fats. Starchy foods (crackers, chips, bagels, etc) are as bad as sweet stuff – your body treats these
carbs just like sugar-releasing insulin as they hit your bloodstream, which in turn tells your cells to open
up and accumulate fat.
» Did you know that artificial sweeteners are terrible for you - they were
developed to fool your taste buds, and they fool your metabolism too.
People who eat artificial sweeteners typically lose LESS weight than
people who consume sugar.
» Grains (cereal, bread, pasta, and also corn and whole grains - even brown rice and quinoa)
» The perception is that whole grains are one of the cornerstones of our ancestral diet. The truth is
that grains did not enter our diet until the advent of agriculture (99.5% of the way through our
evolutionary history as humans), and we still haven’t adapted to processing them well, so they wreak
all kinds of havoc on our system. Most of us have gotten used to this feeling, but try cutting them out
for 30 days and see how much better you feel (and look)!
» These cause low-grade digestive distress in many people (even gluten-free). Also, grains contain
prolamins that lead to gut permeability and phytates that bind to other minerals in our body and make
them unavailable for absorption.
» Low nutritional value (even whole grains). Anything you get from grains (nutrients, fibers, etc.), you
can get from veggies (without all those extra carbs and digestive irritants).
» If you must - Quinoa is perhaps the best grain to consume, and rice and potatoes are much better for
you than wheat and wheat flour.
Dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream). We exclude Whey Protein here.
» 99% of dairy cows are unhealthy - they are fed corn and soy which makes them inflamed and sick and then
they are fed antibiotics to keep them going. Industrial dairy cows are made to produce 500% more milk than
they would under natural conditions - a miracle of efficiency, but not necessarily ideal for their health or yours!
» Note - the other milk protein, whey (derivative of cheese making) is one of the best protein sources and unlike
casein is NOT a frequent allergen. You will not lose points for this. In fact, we highly recommend whey protein
shakes pre and/or post workout. It’s important to get minimally processed whey protein without a lot of
additives. We carry SFH, which is the highest quality we’ve found.
» If you must - whole fat, organic, grass-fed butter, milk, greek yogurt in small quantities. Raw hard cheese.
Whole fat organic yogurt with no sweetener added (Strauss is a good brand). If you are going to eat dairy, it’s
really important to seek out milk from grass-fed cows. Grass
Milk from HEB Mootopia is a good option.
Bad fats/Fried foods
» Sunflower, Canola, and other seed oils are bad due to heavy processing,
rancidity, and inflammatory properties (Omega 6/Omega 3 imbalance).
Another reason to cut out fried foods.
» Olive oil is great for salads and dips, but cooking it at high temperatures damages the fats, making it unhealthy.
Ok to add to hot food after cooking.
» Saturated fats are healthiest to cook with, as they hold up to high temperatures and they are much more
stable and less likely to go bad quickly. If you’ve been told otherwise, you’ve been told wrong:
• Refined organic coconut oil (has no coconut taste)
• Unrefined organic coconut oil tastes like coconut is great for melting on things like sweet potatoes
• Grass-fed butter or ghee (Indian clarified butter)
» All oils should be kept in a dark cupboard, not on the counter and used within 6 months —they go rancid
quickly and you can’t taste the difference.
Beans, soy, peanuts (legume family)
» We’ve been told that these are healthy vegetables and a great protein source. The truth is that these have way
more carbs than protein and the protein has an incomplete amino acid profile.
» They irritate the gut and cause digestive issues (hence, the bloating and gas).
» Soybeans are NOT a health food. One of biggest agribusiness crops around (like corn). Heavily GMO’d and
high in pesticide residue. The most popular soy products (soymilk, tofu) are highly processed with toxic solvents.
Soy is also highly allergenic and some studies have indicated it can tamper with estrogen balances.
» Legumes are still better than grains. If you must - buy beans dry and soak them for at least 24 hours (some of
the irritants come out in the water).
Alcohol (limit it):
» Puts a heavy load on the liver, and turns to fat.
» If you must – Cider (gluten free naturally), and premium tequila, Gin or vodka with club soda and lime are the
least bad alcohols. Avoid Beer at all cost and sugary mixers.
SETTING UP FOR SUCCESS
The first order of business is to remove temptation. We don’t want to ask you to rely on willpower, because you are
human. If bad food is around, you will eat it - a craving for “bad stuff” is
literally programmed into your genes11! Before you do anything else, go
home and clean out your fridge, pantry and work environment.
How? Line up a few paper bags and pull out every processed food you
have - cereal, oatmeal, pancake mix, cookies, crackers, candies, juices,
sodas, beer, alcohol, pasta, rice, candy, ice cream, you name it. If it’s in a
package you’re better off without it. Be bold and pack it all up - don’t
think about this as wasting money, think of it as saving money on future
healthcare. And remember this is not a lifetime of deprivation; it’s just a
six-week experiment. The sad truth is that most of this stuff will survive
until March without any reduction in taste or health impact (scary in
itself). Hit the pantry, fridge, freezer and your work environment - do
this by January 12th. If you need moral support ask a friend to join you
and hold you accountable! Will New Year, New You 2015 work for me?
HORMONES..
Everyone is different and there are important genetic and environmental factors that the competition is not controlling
for. For example, you may have a micronutrient deficiency (D, B12, iodine, Omega 3: Omega 6 ratio) that is sabotaging
your results.
However, hormones are the most important regulators of what goes on in your body. They signal when to store fat,
when to burn fat, when to procreate, when to grow, when to go into flight or fight mode, and when to come out of it.
They are triggered primarily by food, sleep, exercise, and stress. If you score a lot of points, you should clean up many of
your hormonal processes and see commensurate progress towards your goals. However, if you’re not where you want
to be at the conclusion, it is possible that factors like genetics or stress have created hormonal imbalances that remain
unaddressed. Don’t get frustrated, it’s not your fault and it’s not incurable.
This in itself is a successful outcome, as you’ve generated a key learning point and can now begin working on addressing
potential hormonal imbalances.
While there are many hormones, the four on the next page are the primary factors in this challenge. The following
summary is based on It Starts with Food (a nutritional overview book).
Insulin(Store Energy)- Insulin is a storage hormone released
by the pancreas to regulate blood sugar. It tells your cells to open
up and pull sugar out of the blood to store as fuel in the form of
glycogen. But eat too many carbs without a lot of exercise and
things go south quickly. Once the glycogen stores are full, the
sugars are instead bundled into triglycerides. And over time, your
cells stop listening to insulin’s request to open up, and you become
insulin resistant, a precursor to Type 2 Diabetes. Chronically
elevated blood sugar levels are highly damaging to the liver, pancreas, kidneys, blood vessels and brain. New research is
finding that excess circulating insulin is correlated to excess body fat, high blood pressure, cancer, and lots of other bad
(and unnecessary!) stuff.
Glucagon(Release Energy)- Think of Glucagon as the Yin to insulin’s Yang. Glucagon tells cells to open up and
release energy to fuel physical and mental exertion. The triggers for Glucagon are protein consumption, stress, and low
blood sugar. Elevated insulin inhibits its release. Thus when we eat carbs, insulin levels go up, glucagon levels go down,
and we’re unable to access stored energy and burn off fat with exercise. This is another reason why we should avoid
grazing. Insulin can stay in our system for several hours following a carb-filled meal or snack…so our body isn’t able to
tap into our fat stores in between meals, because insulin levels are still too high. Leptin (I’m full/hungry) - Fat cells
secrete leptin, as a way to communicate how full you are. Leptin keeps body fat levels in balance. Based on leptin signals
from your fat cells, your brain directs your subconscious to eat more or less, to exercise more or less, etc. Insulin and the
excess consumption of unsaturated fats, mess with the leptin receptors in the brain and they become less sensitive to
leptin…the message that you’ve stored enough fat doesn’t get through.
Leptin resistance means that you
are gaining fat and swimming in leptin,
but your brain is clueless, so it turns
your metabolism down to conserve
fuel and tells you to eat more. Also,
you may see that you’ve gained
weight and try to eat less, but the
brain’s directives are far more
powerful…particularly with
uncontrollable cravings after 8pm (a
hallmark of leptin resistance).
Chronically high insulin levels lead to leptin resistance and excess fat storage.
Cortisol(Stress)- Secreted from the adrenal glands to help the body recover after a fight-or-flight response to stress.
Chronically elevated cortisol levels increase blood sugar levels, which leads to chronically high insulin levels… which
leads to chronically elevated leptin levels. Chronically high hormone levels lead to hormonal resistance problems (i.e.
insulin resistance). Elevated cortisol levels promote weight gain by encouraging stress-related overeating, body fat
accumulation to the abdominal region, and messing with your thyroid function. Cortisol (along with the related lack of
sleep) is one of the primary saboteurs of a good fitness program - you can’t get healthy with excessive cortisol, and you
can’t fix it with nutrition and exercise alone.
When to eat?
» Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. For best results, eat a big breakfast and keep dinner early and light. It’s
important to give your digestive system a break so that it can detoxify at night.
» Eat an hour before the workout, as it primes the pump. The snack should be balanced between protein, fat and carbs.
As an example, you might eat a few slices of turkey and an apple with almond butter. You’ll want something you can
grab quickly.
What to Eat Post Workout
CrossFit Workout: You need to rebuild muscle tissue as a priority. Drink a high-quality whey protein smoothie mixed
with water, or almond/coconut milk.
If your Goal is Fat loss: After an intense workout like CrossFit, your body begins releasing Human Growth Hormone,
which tells your metabolism to burn fat…until the next time you eat. So if your primary goal is fat loss, you may wish to
experiment with not eating as much post workout. The caution here is that you are trading fat burning for muscle
recovery (since eating protein will help with the latter), so this may increase soreness.
Building Mass: High quality BCAA’s 20g+ per day, lean protein, good carb(sweet potatoes) Creatine is also a viable
option
General POST WOD Nutritional Guidelines



Immediately Post Workout (within 30 minutes)
o Replenish Glycogen. Consume .5 to.7 g/lb of carbohydrate immediately post-exercise. Use carbs that digest
quickly, like honey, fruits, fruit juices, and potatoes.
o Protein for Muscle Repair. The perfect protein amount remains inconclusive, but a golden ratio of 4:1 (carbs to
protein) is probably the most recommended. Again, focus on nutrition that digests quickly, so whey protein is a
good option.
o Fat is best left to a minimum as it will slow the digestion carbohydrate and protein.
o Rehydrate. The general guideline for hydration is 16oz of fluid per pound lost during exercise; however that is
assuming you started with perfect hydration. Basically, just keep drinking people.
Stage 2 Recovery (2-6 hours post-exercise)
o Continue filling up the tank on carbohydrate and protein using the above recommendations (.5-.7 g/lb
carbohydrate and 4:1 carb to protein ratio). Start to focus more on consuming whole foods.
Stage 3 Recovery (Beyond 6 hours)
o Glycogen is restored, now focus is on maintaining blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates should be low glycemic to
keep insulin under control and focused on getting plenty of nutrients. Eat plenty of veggies and legumes, and
some fruits.
o Keep eating proteins. The health benefits of proteins are extensive.
o Ramp up fat intake. Fats will provide energy to conserve carbohydrate stores and will keep you full. Nuts, seeds,
avocados, olives, coconut oil and fats from grass fed meats are all great options.
Snacks outside of pre and post-workout should be kept to a minimum. It’s ok to have a piece of fruit or a handful of
nuts once or twice a day, if necessary. Are you really hungry? A good test - are you hungry enough to eat steamed fish
and veggies?
Eating out Go to restaurants that serve high-quality ingredients from local farms (local is probably more important
than organic). Don’t feel the need to take menu choices as is - mix them up to suit your plan. Remember the necessity of
removing temptation, so you don’t have to fight your genes. Here are a few ideas:
» Make sure the bread basket is nowhere near you and ideally not on the table period.
» Ask to substitute extra veggies for the starch.
» At Mexican restaurants ask for chopped veggies w/ your guacamole (quickly, before they drop off the chips!)
» Ask to add meat to any salad (and ask them to hold ingredients that don’t fit your plan)
» Don’t accept the dessert menu. If you are eating with friends, be subtle - no need to draw attention to yourself.
And if you screw up, don’t sweat it. Just get back on the bus.
Ethnic food can be tricky. In general, Chinese and Indian food are not great choices this month. Thai Food can be ok, but
you’ll want to skip the rice and instead get steamed broccoli. Good Mexican restaurants can accommodate clean eating
but they are filled with temptation – so proceed with caution - there’s not a coach at the gym who has the willpower to
keep clean when confronted with the cornucopia of chips, queso, tortillas and the like that Mexican restaurants ply you
with…
Stay away from the big chain restaurants, they are all bad news. If fast food is in order, try
Panera, Qdoba or Chipotle and choose a salad with meat or wild salmon. Many places will
wrap your burger in lettuce if you ask (you won’t miss the bun).